Richard Bonington Primary and Nursery School

Inspection of a good school: Richard Bonington Primary and Nursery School Calverton Road, Arnold, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG5 8FQ

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Outcome

Richard Bonington Primary and Nursery School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say that they are happy and feel safe at school. They appreciate the warm and welcoming atmosphere and the opportunities to learn about different subjects. Pupils value the many trips and visits to local areas of historical interest, such as Creswell Crags. Many of them enjoy participating in sports and arts-based clubs. They like meeting pupils from other schools in the trust at performances and sports competitions.

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What is it like to attend this school?

During lessons and social times, pupils behave well. They do not feel that bullying happens much. When problems occur, pupils say that staff respond quickly and fairly. They are clear that the school’s approach to rewarding positive behaviour is helpful. Pupils say that there are a range of opportunities to lead other pupils. The highly valued school council identifies fundraising and charitable opportunities. The eco-team ensures that pupils think about the importance of protecting the environment.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Children settle well into the early years. They know the importance of ‘super sitting and good listening’. Pupils are keen to talk about their learning. They enjoy opportunities to deepen their thinking through independent tasks. They are keen to benefit from more of these activities in other subjects.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The phonics programme is ambitious and staff demonstrate a clear understanding of its principles. Staff understand what to teach and when. Pupils learn new sounds and use these to read words and spell them. They practise writing letters correctly. Pupils who need additional help to become fluent readers get the support that they need. All staff promote a love of reading. There are a range of opportunities for pupils to share high- quality texts. The school library offers a welcoming space for children to read in. Parents and carers are also encouraged to read stories with their children.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school wants pupils to become fluent mathematicians who can use this knowledge to reason well. Staff appreciate the training that they have had to understand and teach the 5 and 6 December 2023

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curriculum effectively. Most teachers quickly spot when pupils do not understand something. Pupils who need extra help get it. They check their knowledge with staff and use equipment where this is helpful. Some pupils can explain how they work out problems. However, many pupils do not get the chance to develop or deepen their thinking.

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The curriculum is broad, balanced and increasingly detailed. In geography, for example, the school wants pupils to develop detailed understanding of their ‘place in the world’. The key concepts have been carefully identified and sequenced. There are a range of opportunities for pupils to learn about physical and human geography. Pupils develop relevant skills in map work, including the use of a compass. Staff make links to what pupils have learned before. However, opportunities for pupils to use this knowledge in a range of contexts are more limited.

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The school aims to provide appropriate support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). It works with a range of external agencies to identify pupils’ needs. Parents are included when the school plans pupils’ next steps. However, sometimes these plans do not identify precisely what pupils need to learn next. Some pupils get the chance to practise these next steps in small groups. However, teachers do not always use pupils’ targets to meet their needs in lessons.

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Attendance is strong and improving. The school takes steps to ensure that parents understand their high expectations. Pupils behave well in lessons. They understand the school’s system of rewards and sanctions. Staff feel confident to implement it.

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The personal development of pupils is ‘everyone’s responsibility’. Pupils learn about British values and protected characteristics. They are taught about staying safe online. They learn about how to form healthy relationships and keep themselves well, both physically and mentally. Pupils build social skills during residential visits. They also regularly participate in community and fundraising activities.

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Staff speak highly of the efforts made by the school to manage their workload and promote well-being. They appreciate the open-door policy that leaders have. Staff value opportunities for professional development and the chance to work with other colleagues from across the trust. Leaders from the trust work closely with the school to ensure that pupils are safe and that everyone is playing their part in improving the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 5 and 6 December 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Support plans for some pupils with SEND lack precision. They do not always identify precisely what pupils need to focus on. The school should ensure that plans clearly identify exactly what pupils with SEND need to know and be able to do. The school should ensure that pupils are offered further specific opportunities to develop important knowledge and skills.  The curriculum does not always provide pupils with sufficient opportunities to extend and deepen their understanding. Not all pupils have the chance to use the knowledge that they have gained to apply it in different contexts. The school should ensure that all pupils build knowledge, embed it and use it successfully.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour, or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Richard Bonington Primary and Nursery School, to be good in January 2017.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, 5 and 6 December 2023

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looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 5 and 6 December 2023

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School details

Local authority Nottinghamshire County Council

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School details

Website www.richardboningtonprimaryschool.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Since the last inspection the school has joined the Equals Trust. A new headteacher was appointed in Spring 2021.  The school does not use any form of alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met members of the school senior leadership team and a range of other staff. The inspector also met the chief executive officer of the trust, trust school improvement lead, chair of the local governing body and other governors. 5 and 6 December 2023

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 The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, and geography. For each deep dive the inspector held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspector also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff, and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils interests first.  The inspector observed pupils around school and in lessons and considered the school’s management of staff workload and well-being.  The inspector considered responses by parents, staff, and pupils to Ofsted’s questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Emma Hollis-Brown, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 5 and 6 December 2023

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regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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